USC Barbarians bolstered by core recruits

University have been bolstered with a cluster of new key recruits as the club aims to wrestle back its first premiership since 2015.

USC Barbarians captain Mitch Portors in action during the 2019 rugby union grand final against Caloundra. Photo: Chris Portors Photography

RUGBY UNION: University have been bolstered with a cluster of new key recruits as the club aims to wrestle back its first premiership since 2015.

Coach Brad Tronc said prior to the pandemic putting the competition on hold, the Barbarians, who finished 2019 as minor premiers but beaten grand finalists, were poised to go one better.

Inspirational inside centre Matt Lieder returns to the club from a year in Brisbane Premier Grade where he won an Australian championship.

Openside flanker Luke Kimber is also back while hooker Urbain Lawrence and lock Ryan Gottke have also put pen to paper.

“To have those guys has been a huge positive for us,” Tronc said.

“From a player stock, I am really happy with the recruitment and retention.”

Tronc praised the squad for “training the house down” during weekly and individual online sessions.

While mystery surrounds when and if the Sunshine Coast competition’s return, Tronc said the side will hit the ground running.

Motivation will not be lacking for USC should the competition get the green light.

“We have already moved passed that and spoken about,” Tronc said of last year’s 30-15 grand final loss to Caloundra Lighthouses.

“We can’t change the result but we can approach the season differently. And this one will be a test.”

However he questioned why the State Government were reluctant to push the green light to allow community sport to restart when other states had done so.

“It’s a shame. Other states have moved ahead a lot faster. You can have 10 people in a boot camp but we can’t train.”

The Sunshine Coast A-grade season, which was postponed until July 11 is scheduled to have 11 rounds.

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